protest

That's what really gets me....they're complaining that they aren't a part of the country (and why should they be if they entered illegally) yet they wave another country's flag? What is that?? If you want to be an American so bad, how about waving the American flag!

To some degree, I agree with you. But I won't hold Mexico up as the standard I expect my country to adhere to. I mean, come on, we should be proud of our country's generosity, decency, and acceptance. It's part of what has made us what we are today. In spite of the MANY mistakes we've made in the last few years, I think that treating immigrants, illegal or otherwise, with respect and dignity, even welcoming them, is part of what I love about this country. My grandfather immigrated to the United States as a boy, and although he came legally, what if he hadn't? What if he wasn't fortunate enough to have been allowed in? Life would be very different.

If we want to focus on enforcing something as a country, we should be focusing on putting pressure on our government to put their foot down and to demand fair trade and equal wages from every country on God's green earth. That is an issue worth fighting over. If you want to know where the jobs are, if you want to know why we have a rapidly bifurcating class system in this country, I suggest you look to China, to Thailand, and to many of our poor South American neighbors who REFUSE to allow unions, to pay fair wages, or to, in any way, look after their own people. They have accepted poverty, and their countries continue in their instability. Devolved class structures, revolutions and uprisings every 25-50 years. We're now asked to accept these things for ourselves. And we're told we're "helping the world's economy." The only people we're helping are the corporations and the people who own stock in them.

I can't stand by and let the rich get richer and the poor get poorer here in America or anywhere else, and that's why I advocate for fair trade. Believe me, it has an outstanding, extraordinary impact on our economy, if for no other reason that it drags good jobs away to places where they don't give a damn about their poor. And I believe companies should be allowed to take these jobs elsewhere if it's less costly for them to do so. Free trade makes sense for promoting peace and happiness across the world. Capitalism works. But it doesn't work unless we have an equal playing ground, where every worker is entitled to a fair wage, where unions represent worker rights, and where human decency is a shared value.

Okay...sorry for the rant. I can understand that it's a bit off topic, but I just feel as if everyone is looking at this little issue, when there is a much bigger picture. National borders are constructively meaningless in a world economy. Yes, we provide benefits. And, yes, that costs us taxpayer money. But shutting out immigrants, illegal or otherwise, is a temporary solution. If we want to solve the big issues, we have to take a closer look at economics.

How about we let the immigrants in and kick the politicians out?!

-Billy

and to be fair, we did steal texas, califonia, and the rest of the "american" southwest from mexico in the mexican american war.

i blame our governmetn. if you could just walk into roo without a ticket and when enough of us did they would say fuck it you can stay none of us would buy tickets. if we dont want our laws to be broken then we need to enforce them. if we not only dont enforce our borders, and then reward those that have snuck in then it will never stop.

in a perfect world we could just go where we wanted.

"do this, dont do that, cant you read the sign'

to be fair???? how about all the jobs in america that are being outsourced to mexico because they work for cents and without health code laws? "the race to the bottom" is killing america.

I wouldn't make the mistake of saying any particular person of Mexican heritage represents the Mexican government, local governments or police forces or vice versa... any more than I would hope no one mistakes me for the American government, local government or police force.

This is very complex situation that is not helped by the same people who tout one way taking money from companies who either a) make the move to Mexico or b) profit from illegal work. In my mind it is the WORK that is illegal first, before the person is. We should have the same fire in our hearts in punishing the companies and corporations who are in our own country paying illegal, untaxed, sub-human wages-- THAT is our first line. The companies that move their operations to Mexico are benefitting from legal loopholes left wide open by the same buddies in Congress and the Senate that they pay.

And lastly-- please realize that America is no picnic for many ACTUAL AMERICANS who are black, of Middle-Eastern family origin or South American lineage. And the Patriot Act doesn't help. Many of the original questions at the top of this thread would apply to some of these minorities (and actually the majority-- I don't recall getting free healthcare from my local government).

Anyway. Sorry for my rant. This is just a more complex issue than it's made out to be in the media.

I think you put it well. I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to discount the opinion of everyone who doesn't live near the border. Part of my empathy comes from the south american heritage of friends and loved ones who have migrated to even my community here in Virginia's mountains.

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2. Enter MEXICO illegally - never mind immigration quotas, visas, international law, or any of that nonsense.

Actually, I assume you've never tried this. My grandma lives in the US, right on the border, so I've actually got a bit of experience with this. At the entrance to the us, they stop people and check their passports and visas, and sometimes even require ID for US Citizens. On the way to Mexico, they don't even stop cars. Let's face it, we don't expect americans to immigrate illegaly, so it's extremely easy to do.


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yes it is very easy to get into mexico but that is as a visitor. try getting a job with out proprely immigrating. see if there authorities treat you the same way we treat our illegeals. they will have you calling everyone you know trying to raise enough money to pay thier extortion amount for not throwing you in a mexican prison. and just try to send your illegal children to a school, take them to an emergency room and see what happens. there is a big difference between crossing a lax border under temporary tourist status and being an illegal immigrant and trying to get work or serivces

hmmmm... i dont know what i di to that quote but you get the idea

it is too bad we cant just all get along so in places where farming is good they farm. in places like mexico they can make and assemble things. the worlds economy creates enough wealth for everyone to survive comfortably. unforunatly most of that money goes into less the 1 percent of the populations bank accounts. man i hate the monetary system. how is a teacher or a firemen worth 20 - 50 grand ayear but lebron james get 100 million a year. more people would die if farmers quit doing what they do, then would die if doctors quit doing what they do adn yet farmers live in poverty. oh well it is just the way of the world but it is a shame

"how is a teacher or a firemen worth 20 - 50 grand ayear but lebron james get 100 million a year"

because people give lebron money all the time(games, nike clothes, gum) and people want lower taxes so teachers salaries are cut. You are probably giving all your money to musicians, its the same deal. i do the same thing.

"it is too bad we cant just all get along so in places where farming is good they farm. in places like mexico they can make and assemble things"

I dont even know what to say to that, because that is what happens.

And im pretty sure the farmer/doctor situation can be summed up in supply and demand. or something similar.
everything that happens in this world is our own fault,people are selfish, if everybody stopped to think what they were doing and how they are affecting other people maybe this world would be different, but as long as there is greed in this world that will never happen.(politicians, the rich getting richer, etc.)

It's not Robin Williams' thoughts.

www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/williams.asp